Changing Course: A Woman's Guide to Choosing the Cruising Life - Hardcover

Cantrell, Debra Ann

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0071360875 ISBN 13: 9780071360876

Publisher: McGraw-Hill, 2000

Synopsis

". . . the essential first step for all couples planning to sail away; this is a must-read."--Paul and Sheryl Shard, authors of Sail Away! "Life afloat nourishes my heart, my head, body, and soul in ways that have enhanced all aspects of my life personally and professionally. I have discovered ways of sustaining my sense of purpose both on land and while cruising that have enabled me to embrace the cruising lifestyle."--Debra Ann Cantrell The human quest for change is constant. As existing dreams are realized, new dreams take their place. On one level, Changing Course is a straightforward, step-by-step examination of pursuing your partner's dreams and joining the seagoing life. On a deeper, more spiritual level, it addresses the levels of change we encounter in everyday life and how--through the experiences of numerous women who have gone before--we can rise through those levels of change to achieve ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction.Changing Course chronicles the odyssey of making a major lifestyle change from land to sea from a woman's perspective. The moving and often poignant thoughts, feelings, and experiences of more than 100 women illustrate the decision-making process that enabled most of them to move from resisting the change proposed by their partners to embracing the cruising life. It is an inspiring examination of the highs, lows, and day-to-day drama of changing one's life in a fundamental way. From the common fears that prevent individuals from taking risks to the interpersonal dynamics that affect couples and relationships, this one-of-a-kind book explores the phenomenon of change and the growing lifestyle change movement. This thought-provoking and highly personal book explores what women stand to gain when they set forth on such a journey--and what they stand to lose if they do not.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Women who have lived the cruising life share their advice, tell their stories, and relive their adventures

What if your life partner's dream is your nightmare? Debra Ann Cantrell faced just that dilemma when her husband proposed living and cruising on a boat. She would lose a career she loved and, she feared, everything by which she'd defined herself. She wondered how others before her had made this decision, and what had happened to them, and decided to explore the process of life change by studying more than 100 women, over a five-year period, whose partners had proposed the cruising life. Changing Course is the first decision-making guide written specifically for women considering leaving their careers, friends, and everyday life to join their partners at sea, and it offers valuable guidance for anyone considering a major lifestyle change.

"So your partner wants to go cruising, and you don't know what you want. Whether you find the idea appealing or appalling, you're probably struggling with the thought of leaving behind a home, community, family, and friends you love. You may face a variety of fears and concerns, some of which you feel you can talk to your partner about and some you haven't admitted to anyone but yourself. You wish you knew more about what cruising has to offer and others' experiences dealing with this major lifestyle change. You are not alone. Changing Course is the first book that honestly evaluates the transition to life afloat."--Beth Leonard, author of The Voyager's Handbook

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 2
A Model for a Lifestyle Change

Making a major lifestyle change is a gradual process. I have identified six different stages--from the initial stage of just talking about the idea to the final stage of moving back to land--so you can see a model for changing course to a cruising life.

Exploring the challenges at each stage of the process will help you move from one stage to the next. It will also enrich the experience and may lessen the possibility of experiencing a disruption in your journey.

A typical scenario for this process begins when one partner reveals his interest in going cruising. Discussions between the partners may be continuous or intermittent over the months or years that follow. At some point, the other partner makes a commitment to the concept of living on a boat. Considerable planning and research follow, until the couple purchases their boat. A period of living aboard often follows, and the transition from a land life to a cruising life begins in earnest. Then the lines are cast from the slip and cruising begins. The majority of cruisers eventually return to land and another period of transition follows.

The return to land marks the end of the cruising life and the beginning of new adventures. But in many cases--after the cruising kitty has been replenished, or children have been raised--couples begin talking about going cruising again, and the process of moving from land to sea begins all over again.

The amount of time each stage takes depends on the individuals involved. However, two contributing factors are the noninitiating partner's readiness to move to the next stage and finances.

Stage 1. Just Talking about It
Stage 2. Committing to the Concept
Stage 3. Purchasing the Boat
Stage 4. Living Aboard
Stage 5. Living Aboard and Cruising
Stage 6. Back on Land

From 64 Ways to Make Cruising More Rewarding, chapter 9

Whether you're just talking about going cruising, about to buy your boat, or already underway, there are a variety of things you can do to enhance your life afloat. Here are 64 suggestions from women who embraced the cruising lifestyle. Some are small suggestions (did you think of adding the deluxe travel version of Scrabble to your mandatory gear on board?) and some are suggestions that will have a bigger impact on your cruising life, such as getting your Ham radio license and learning to operate your dinghy. They are all wise tips from women cruisers young and old that will make your time on board happier, safer, and more rewarding.

1. Join your local sailing or yacht club. You'll expose yourself to people who have sailed around the world or people who--like your partner--dream of doing so. Being in the company of others who have lived on a boat, or hope to someday, may inspire you to ask questions. Yacht clubs and local cruising associations usually meet regularly, and many host a variety of informative presentations.

2. If you don't like camping, don't camp! Think of your boat as your home and invest in it that way--regardless of how long you plan to live aboard. Forget sleeping bags, plastic dishes, and aluminum pots! If caffe latte in the morning is your weakness, put a stovetop espresso maker and a stainless milk frother aboard. Invest in a few sets of good bed linens and a duvet and cover. Purchase cloth place mats and napkins. Invest in glass or stoneware dinnerware (Corelle, by Corning, is an all-time favorite), and take along your crystal wine glasses.

3. Hang artwork or pictures of family and friends in your saloon and/or pilot house. Consider mounting a cork board on a blank wall where you can post lists, photographs, maps, and boat cards.

13. Start a journal. Use it to capture your thoughts, feelings, and observations about people and places you encounter along the way. You don't have to make daily entries: make notes when the urge strikes you. My journal is a hodgepodge of thoughts, feelings, and observations about everything from the weather, where we spent the night, anchoring conditions, names of people and boats we've met, and so forth. I also use my journal to keep track of our expenditures and when we retrieve telephone and e-mail correspondence.

20. If you don't know how to swim, take swimming lessons. At minimum, learn how to tread water! While taking your lessons, don a pair of flippers and a snorkel and mask and ask for a few snorkeling tips.

28. Learn to tie a bowline. If you decide to learn only one knot, make it this one: it could save your life (and maybe that of your dinghy or kayak).

49. Take time to reflect on what you hope to gain from the cruising life. Note and date your reflections in your journal. These could be specific goals, such as becoming a more confident sailor, passing the Ham radio exam, or learning to identify the major constellations. They could also be very broad efforts, such as learning to relax more or exploring your spiritual side.

Edition details

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0071360875
• ISBN 13: 9780071360876
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 186